Promises
by Monrosalee
Summary: Sequel to The Surprise. Monroe and Rosalee are falling more and more in love by the day; but when Monroe's mother makes her son promise something, Monroe can't help but question himself- Will it be too much, too fast? Juliette is putting the pieces back together, slowly, but surely; and for once, the Grimm is giving the Blutbad advice. Rated T for language and sex and refs.
1. Determined

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm so happy to be back with Part Two of 'The Surprise'! I'm so very sorry that it took me so long to get this up, but I needed a break from writing on schedule for a while- me time, and just writing for me. Sorry about that, but now that I've taken that break, I'll be able to publish these chapters more often and they'll be better writing (well, I hope so. lol) So anywho, thanks for being so patient, and I hope you enjoy this first chapter, and the chapters to come! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Grimm or any of the characters but I continue to wish that I did because that would be incredible.**

**Enjoy!**

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**CHAPTER ONE:**

"Is it straight yet?" Monroe asked as he attempted to hang up a picture for the third time.

"No." Rosalee laughed as she went over and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Here; let me try." She gently took the frame from his hands and searched for the nail on the wall. After a moment or two, she managed to hook the back of the frame on the nail and fiddled with it for a moment or two before taking a step back.

"That's impressive." Monroe winked as they stood together admiring the picture of them they had gotten taken together just a few weeks before.

Monroe loved it.

The way Rosalee smiled at the camera, him smiling at her.

He remembered the female photographer had whispered to him as Rosalee had grabbed their jackets.

"_You've got her, pal. Now never let her go."_

He'd smiled at the woman and then left with Rosalee, out to meet Nick and Juliette for a double date.

"It's straight too." Rosalee replied, pulling him out of his reverie. She got up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"Haha, very funny." Monroe smirked, kissing the top of the Fuchsbau's head.

Three months had passed since Rosalee had moved in and Monroe's family reunion was rapidly approaching.

"So are you ready to meet my family on Thursday?" He asked as the two wesen sat down on the couch.

A nervous expression swept across Rosalee's face; "I hope so. Mothers are rather hard to impress, not to mention your dad-"

"You won't have to worry about my dad." Monroe said rather quickly in a hushed tone.

"What do you mean?" Rosalee had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"He died. Three years ago."

She reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Well if he could see you today, I know he'd be proud of the man you've become". She replied after a long pause, hugging him at the end of her sentence.

"And I'm sure your dad would feel the same about you. It took a lot of courage to stay here in Portland, never mind taking over the family business. He was lucky to call you his daughter." He said_

"Thank you for that." She rested her head on his shoulder and they sat in the relaxing silence, listening to each other's breath.

He sighed as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He expected Nick, but was surprised when he read his mother's name on the screen.

"It's my mom." He said as he stood up.

Rosalee sat up as he answered the call.

"Monroe, dear! Hi! How are you?" His mother's kind voice questioned.

"I'm great, mom. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful! I'm rather excited to meet this... Is it Rosalee?"

"Yeah, mom. That's her." He replied as he looked over at Rosalee with an endearing smile.

"Well, everyone will be at your place on Sunday. Does three o'clock sound alright with you and Rosalee?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yep! We're looking forward to your visit." Monroe finished, doing his best to sound convincing.

"Great. See you both on Sunday. I love you. Bye."

He stuck his phone back in his pocket and sat back down next to Rosalee.

She looked over at him with a small smile as he pulled her close, putting his arm around her. They sat in the silence once more, both thinking of one another.

She loved the way he made her feel. Loved how whatever the situation was, he always brought light to it. He accepted her for who she is and her past. And was there for her every step of the way, supporting her and making her feel wanted and loved. She couldn't ask for more.

Monroe squeezed her shoulder as he thought of the first time he saw her. He had to admit, she was stunning- yet most Fuchsbau are. But she was the most beautiful of them all. That he knew for sure. He thought of the way she'd extended her hand to shake his. The first time he saw her smile, when he gave her the flowers, was one of his happiest memories, because he'd managed to make someone so sad and broken, feel happy once more.

He loved her, she loved him and that was all they needed.

"Do you wanna help me get started on dinner?" Rosalee asked as she stood up and stretched.

"Of course I would." Monroe replied with his winning smile, pulling her in for a quick kiss before they made their way to the kitchen.

"What are in the mood for?" He asked as he peered inside their fully stocked fridge. "There's like no food here." He added with a sarcastic smirk.

"We haven't had spaghetti in a while." She gestured to a box of spaghetti noodles she had just pulled out of the cupboard.

"Sounds good!"

Monroe took the necessary ingredients out of the fridge, while Rosalee got the remaining essentials out of the cupboards.

"Good to go?" She asked once the water was boiling.

He nodded as he put the noodles in the pot and began to stir.

"It's a shame Nick couldn't get anything out of Colin's phone." The Fuchsbau began as she worked on the sauce.

"Maybe it was for the best."

"I guess you're right."

"Hey, I forgot to mention; he caught the Waschbar. Well, with Hank's help, of course." Monroe said as he continued to stir.

"Really? When?"

"Just a few hours ago!"

"It took a long time. Three months. Jesus, I've never heard of them working on a case like that for so long." The Fuchsbau said as she turned back around to continue stirring the sauce.

"Nick's a determined fella."

Just as he finished his sentence, his phone began to ring.

"Now what?" He asked in an annoyed tone as he grabbed his iPhone off of the counter. "Speak of the devil." He said before answering.

"Nick. What's up?"

"Monroe. I have a problem." Nick's voice quaked with fright.

The Blutbad stood up a little straighter as he ran his fingers through his hair. "What kind of problem..."

"I got scratched by the Waschbar. And it injected something."

"Oh dear god."

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**A/N: So I hope you liked the first chapter! I know it's a little short, but I'm thinking that these next few chapters will be longer, so it'll be worth it. Lol. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more within the next week- maybe less ;) Thanks again everyone!**


	2. Infected

**Author's Note: Okay, guys. Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been given a lot of homework lately, and my grandmother passed away recently so I haven't been writing. I will try to update this as often as possible though.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Grimm. I wish I did, though!**

**ENJOY**

**CHAPTER TWO**

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"Oh dear god."

Rosalee looked over her shoulder, eyebrow arched in a questioning expression.

"Nick, how long ago did this happen?" Monroe asked as he sat down on a chair, frantically attempting to think of a possible antidote for the poison. He'd have to ask Rosalee.

"Uh, I dunno, a- a few hours ago I think." The Grimm's speech began to slur, a sign Monroe recognized all too well, "But this funky black stuff didn't start pourin' out until like, like a few minutes ago."

"It's black already?! Oh god, Nick. The next stage is a blackout."

"Whaaa-"

Monroe could hear a loud thump on the ground and the familiar voices of Hank and Juliette calling Nick's name.

"Monroe, is that you?" Hank pressed Nick's phone to his ear.

"Yeah, Hank, listen, you and Juliette have to get Nick to the shop, _now_. Do you remember what happened to me when I got scratched by the Klaustreich?"

"Oh yeah, that was nasty."

"Well Waschbar poison is about ten times worse."

"Oh god. Okay, but was Nick supposed to sound..."

"Drunk? Yeah, that's a symptom. Rosalee and I will meet you three at the spice shop in ten minutes, okay?"

"Alright."

Monroe shoved his phone in his pocket as he stood up, and walked over to a concerned looking Rosalee.

"The Waschbar injected its poison into Nick."

"Oh shit." Rosalee nearly dropped the ladle she had in hand. " We've gotta go."

Monroe nodded as he went and grabbed their jackets and Rosalee turned off the stove, moving the pot of spaghetti to the cooled element.

"Why does everyone have to get scratched?" She mumbled as they rushed to Monroe's bug.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

And with that, they sped off toward the shop.

The lights of the shop were flicked on as soon as Rosalee had her coat off.

She went for her bookshelf, scanning the spines for the one she was looking for.

"Here it is." She pulled it off the shelf and put it down on the counter, immediately skimming through its pages.

"Okay, here it is." She pointed to the page she'd landed on, lowering her face to read the small, frail writing. "Oh my god."

"What is it?" Monroe came around her and looked over her shoulder to get a look at what she was reading.

"Remember when Colin scratched you?- Injected _his _poison?"

"Vividly."

"Monroe, the Klaustreich and the Waschbar are from the same wesen family. Only, Waschbar venom is way higher in toxins and spreads _a lot _quicker. If we don't get an antidote into Nick soon, his entire body will be intoxicated and it will shut down." She rambled, trying to get it through Monroe's head.

"You mean he can-"

She nodded slowly, an innerved expression slowly spreading across her face.

"Yes, Monroe. We have to hurry." She stated as she read off the list of essential ingredients and went about the shop in search for them. "And in order to stop the infection from spreading, we need to get this antidote into Nick as soon as possible."

"Alright so how do we-"

Monroe was cut off as the door to the shop opened, Hank and Juliette dragging an unconscious Nick inside.

"How's he doing?" Rosalee asked as they placed the Grimm on the cot in the back room. "Has there been any change in his behavior?"

Juliette shook her head, obviously nervous, "No, same as before; except his arm. That stuff hasn't stopped coming out since we left." She gestured to the black paste that continued to gush from the opened wound on Nick's forearm.

Rosalee sat down next to Nick and lifted his arm into her lap, examining the thick, black substance. She reached over to a side table by the cot and grabbed a scalpel, the only scraping utility she had at hand, and removed a small amount of the paste.

"Monroe, can you grab the tea tree oil and the jar labeled 'Ritonic' for me, please?"

"Sure." He turned on his heel and went back to the tall shelf that contained all the oils and spices. Good thing they were in alphabetical order.

He scanned the shelf, quickly coming across the two jars and grabbed them before moving back to the Fuchsbau.

"Here." He handed them to her.

"What are you going to do to him?" Juliette asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm going to try to stop the spreading and then I'm going to give him an antidote that will boost the amount of white blood cells being produced in his body. That way the infection will be killed more efficiently and faster." She then opened the vial containing the tea tree oil and put two drops of it on the cut, causing it to sizzle. When she added the ritonic, the paste began to dry up.

"See? It's sort of doubling his platelets too, and is using them for a similar purpose other than stopping a wound from bleeding." Rosalee said as she stood up from the chair and handed the vial back to Monroe who went to put it away.

"Now I need to make the antidote."  
"You mean that wasn't it?" Hank questioned, finally coming into conversation after attempting to process the foreign language of apothecary, Rosalee had just spoken in.

"Oh no." She shook her head as she went to the counter and fetched the ingredients she'd previously taken out.

She started with the oils mixing them together in a small bowl before adding them to a thick disinfecting solution she'd made earlier in the week. The liquid changed from a light brown to a creamy white. She was just about to add the paste that she'd removed from Nick's arm when Monroe asked,

"Remind me why you need to add some of the black goo..." He rubbed the crook of his neck in a self-comforting manner.

"It's kinda like when they inject you with a vaccine. Within the solution is part of the infection. It's what builds immunity to it. And that's exactly what we're going to do with Nick here." She scraped it off into the pot before stirring it for a few more minutes.

"Ready?" The Blutbad asked as Rosalee turned off the element and poured the potion into a small vial.

She nodded and together they moved back to the Grimm.

"Okay, here comes the tricky part. He needs to be conscious for this to take effect."

"How are we going to do that?" Hank asked as he crossed his arms at his chest.

"Well Hank," Rosalee began with a sly smirk, "we wake him up."

"Monroe, would you like to do the honors?" She gestured to the unconscious Grimm.

He nodded before cautiously prodding at Nick's shoulders. No response.  
"Okay this isn't going to cut it." He said before switching to Blutbaden form.

Nick shot up off cot and went to throw a punch at Monroe, not realizing who it was.

"Nick!" Hank grabbed the Grimm's shoulders as Monroe switched back to human form.

"Nick, it's me! Monroe!"

"What the hell!?" He rubbed his eyes, trying to get used to the sudden lighting.

"Nick we're trying to help you. That venom is going to spread if we don't get this into you." Rosalee said, gesturing to the jar she had in hand.

"Here." She handed to him. "I know it's kind of abrupt, but you have to drink this."

He looked at it with an arched brow before drinking the entire thing.

Everyone stood in silence as Nick handed the jar back to her.

"How do you feel?" Juliette stepped forward, placing a hand on his head.

He shrugged, "I don't know. A little dizzy."

"Well, you're not slurring your words anymore." Monroe said with a smirk.

"That's a start. And dizziness is a sign that it's taking effect." Rosalee said as she picked up the book she'd found the remedy in, "Well, at least that's what it says here. Your white blood cells are generating twice as fast. You're bound to feel a little different. It's just your body adjusting to it. With some luck, it'll kill the infection." She finished, setting the book back down.

"I hope you're right."

"Now you just need to rest."

"Yeah, Nick. Go home and get some sleep." Monroe helped Nick to his feet while Hank grabbed his jacket which he had previously set on the chair he'd been sitting on.

"Juliette, call me if there's any change, okay?" Rosalee said to the red head, who nodded before grabbing Nick's arm and helping him out the door.

Hank turned and gave Monroe a courteous nod, "Thanks you guys. Have a good evening." He finished before turning on his heel and exiting the shop.

Both wesen sighed as the last echo of the door bell faded, and Monroe wrapped an arm around the Fuchsbau, who gently rested her head on his shoulder.

"Some night, huh?"

She nodded. "He always seems to get himself into trouble, doesn't he?"

"He sure does. Now, I'm starving. Let's go home and get something to eat." Monroe gave her another squeeze before he went and grabbed their coats.

Rosalee tidied up the shop, putting jars and vials back in their proper locations before accepting the coat Monroe had extended out to her.

"Thank you!" She slipped into the coat and together they left the shop, locking the door behind them.

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**A/N: I recently received a comment stating that vegans eat no meat, dairy, etc. This I already know, but I do in fact know a vegan who will slack off every once in a while. I just personally wrote Monroe as one of these types of vegans. He'll eat meat every once in a while and doesn't mind having some dairy. So just thought I'd clear that up! No worries or whatnot. But anywho, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll update as soon as possible. I know this chapter may have seemed to have gone no where, but I wanted to start the story off with a little suspense and such and now I've got some really good stuff coming up, so pleeassseee stay tuned for that! :)**


	3. Fists to Flesh

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am pleased to say that I have returned to continue writing this story! I am terribly sorry for my lack of updating, but I am also pleased to inform you that summer break is quickly approaching and with that said, I will have much more time to write! Stay tuned for some great chapters to come!**

**Short chapter, but I've got some Monrosalee angst for you in this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NBC nor Grimm or any of the actors.**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER THREE**

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"As the pair of wesen finished up with washing the dishes after a wonderful dinner of reheated spaghetti, they settled down to the dining room table once more, starting with the week's receipts;

"We sold a lot this week." Rosalee said to Monroe who nodded in agreement.

"It's been a long week." His kind voice said with a smile as they made eye contact from across the table.

"You know I love you, right?" He added, putting his pen down on the mahogany wood.

"Of course I do." She replied, reaching over and taking his hand in hers.

"More than anything." He reassured. And with one last glance, they went off to work once more.

"We haven't gone out for a drink in a while." Monroe said as they stood side by side at the counter, putting the last of the sorted receipts away.

"We could go to that bar Nick mentioned." Rosalee suggested as she finished up with the paperwork.

Monroe nodded eagerly, putting the rest of the receipts on the counter in front of them, "Yeah, that sounds good." he grinned as he took the papers she handed him and stowed them away in a drawer.

She moved from the kitchen, stopping to give him a bright smile before she went to grab their jackets, handing his over as she pulled her keys out of her pocket.

"It's just a couple of blocks away, right? We could walk." she smirked while she locked up as they stepped outside.

"Or we could drive." Monroe winked and she nodded.

"Driving it is then!" she giggled as they made their way to Monroe's bug, quickly pulling out of the driveway.

After a minute of driving, his eyes lit up with a grin as he spotted the sign. "That was fast." he said as he pulled into the lot.

"Mhm." Rosalee smirked coyly.

Their fingers entwined as they walked up to the place, and Monroe pulled the door open for her

They stepped up to the bar and pulled up to stools as the bartender approached with a boyish grin. "What can I get for you?"

Monroe gestured for her to go first.

"I'll have a whiskey on the rocks, please." Rosalee said to him and Monroe nodded in agreement. "I'll have the same."

The bartender nodded curtly before turning around to get their drinks.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." Monroe said into her ear before he turned and headed in the opposite direction.

It wasn't long before Rosalee noticed him staring at her- tall guy, stocky with some obvious stubble. Before long, he'd made his way over to her and sat himself down on the stool next to her.

She could smell the alcohol on him from where he was sitting before- across the room, but the scent was magnified with him so close.

"Hey there, foxy lady." The man said, a wide grin on his face. "Name's Tim. Can I buy you a drink?"

"I'll pass, but thanks." The polite route was always Rosalee's preference, but the response she got from the drunk was not what she'd hoped for.

The bartender approached and set the two glasses down, quickly doing a one-over of the man next to Rosalee.

"Why not? It's a Friday night. And afterword, we can head to my place and really have some fun." he pressed, leaning closer to her.

"She said she'd pass." Monroe's voice nearly made Rosalee jump.

"Who the hell are you?" The man asked, as Monroe took a step forward, a hand resting on Rosalee's shoulder.

"I'm her boyfriend you jackass. Now, who the hell are _you_?"

"Whoa man. Calm your shit. I was just trying to buy this...beautiful young lady a drink." The drunk raised his hands to his chest in defense.

Monroe took yet another step forward, coming close to towering over the nameless man, who instead, stood up and faced him.

"Fine. Whatever." he zipped up his coat and took a step past Monroe, but looked at Rosalee. "Good choice you've got there." His voice hissed with sarcasm, "I'm out."

"Oh you're not going anywhere." Monroe grabbed him by the collar and threw him into a pool table nearby. He punched him repeatedly, despite Rosalee yelling for him to stop. The entire bar began to flood out as the two men fought. Screams echoed throughout the building as glass broke, and fists met flesh.

"Monroe. STOP." Rosalee yelled one last time before ripping him off of the man, who quickly wiped the blood off of his bottom lip. He turned and left the bar, not daring to look back.

The bartender glared towards the pair, eyes screaming '_get out'._ Rosalee obliged, dragging the Blutbad out of the bar by his arm; the ice in their drinks still clinking against the sides of their glasses as the door shut behind them.

She stepped out of the car, shutting the door quickly before storming inside the house, Monroe following in her wake.

Rosalee pushed the door open, not bothering to take off her shoes as she stormed inside the house.

"What the hell were you thinking!?" She yelled as she spun around to face him, woge threatening to ripple over if she didn't calm herself down.

"I was protecting you!" Monroe said as he shut the door behind him, however keeping himself at a safe distance.

"You call _that _protecting!? Monroe, I was handling it just fine!" Her voice escalated quickly in volume as she took a step forward, her chin slightly raised.

"Well I'm sorry for trying to help!" Monroe yells in response.

"Help! Help? That was your way of helping? Monroe, all you did was make yourself look like an overprotective moron!"

"That guy was a jerk off! He could've hurt you!"

"No, Monroe! He was an asshole, I'll give you that, but do you really think he had any idea that I had a boyfriend?! And do you really think I'm that incapable of protecting myself?"

"Yeah, well he does now. And next time, you can take the drink and leave me behind."

"You wanna go then?!" She pressed, taking a step toward him.

"Well do you want me to go?!"

"Go if you wanna go. I'm not stopping you!"

"Fine then!" He stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

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**A/N: OOH. ANGST. I should have the next chapter up within a week and a half or so. See you all then! Thanks for reading!**

**R&R!**


	4. Never Gonna Leave

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I finished this a LOT sooner than I thought I would!**

**However, I have school tomorrow, so I don't know how much of chapter five I'll get done. I already know what I want to happen though, so it should be up by this Friday or Saturday if everything goes the way I want it to.**

**I'm glad to be back for chapter four! Be prepared for an interesting family reunion to come (sooner than you think!). I'm looking forward to writing the rest of the sequel and moving on to the third part of this Monrosalee journey! **

**A very fluffy Christmas memory for you all in this chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing (unfortunately)**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

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After knowing Rosalee for almost three years, Monroe had to admit- he knew her pretty well. Better than most; and he was quite proud to say so. And after getting to know her, he did find out that Rosalee Calvert was most definitely not one to break easily, and thankfully, neither was he. He decided that this was simply a setback- nothing more than a bump in their relationship. However, he couldn't help but beat himself up over it.

Sitting in his bug, Monroe rested his head on the steering wheel, contemplating whether he should take a drive over to Nick's, or stay put. He chose the latter.

"You idiot." he muttered to himself as he finally lifted his head, staring at the ceiling of the Volkswagen.

He refused to believe that he was actually crying, however when he came close to a howl, he admitted that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to give in every once in a while after all.

He listened to the spring rain patter against the windshield as he felt the urge to pace, letting memories take over his mind.

He remembered their first Christmas together. Out of all the memories he had, this was the one that came to mind.

"Of course you think of your favorite holiday." He murmured.

It was blurry, but at the same time, clear as her dark eyes and matching hair came into his mind.

He rapped at the door excitedly as the falling snow brushed his shoulders. Even though it was only eight in the morning on a Saturday, he was certain she was already awake. She was the earliest riser he knew- other than himself, that is. He clutched the present in hand, wrapped perfectly (or as perfect as it could be seeing as he'd spent over an hour making sure the corners were exactly how they should). He heard her socked feet make their way across the hardwood floor and to the front door. Her brilliant smile was the first thing he noticed (and now realized, the first thing he fell in love with), and he took off his brown hat that was elegantly decorated with a matching pompom on the top, shaking the snow off of it before he greeted her with a warm kiss.

"Hi." she murmured against his lips before she gestured for him to follow her inside- which he gladly did.

He smiled proudly at the Christmas tree in the corner of the room- a Christmas tree they'd picked out together only a few weeks before.  
"Merry Christmas, Rosalee." he said kindly as he pulled her close with one free hand, smiling even more at her uncontrolled giggles.

"And Merry Christmas to you too." she replied with one quick kiss to his lips. "I have something for you."

"Me first." he grinned before extending the object (brilliantly wrapped, of course).

She took it in her hands, giving him one last smile before she carefully began to remove the red wrapping paper.

She gasped when she immediately recognized the picture of them together that was in the tiny window on the front of the photo album she had pulled from the wrapping paper. It was taken shortly before they got together, by Nick who _insisted_ they take one together. Of course it gave them an excuse to get close, and so Monroe cautiously wrapped his arms around her and grinned when he felt her arms wrap around his waist. To this day it was still his favorite picture of the two of them.

She laughed at all the silly pictures, (including a rather good one of Nick, Monroe and herself, all sticking out their tongues and crossing their eyes at the camera in the spice shop one boring afternoon), and she bit back tears as she ran her fingers along her favorite photos.

"How did you-" she started, but was unable to finish her sentence without pulling him in for a rather passionate kiss, (not that either of them could complain).

"I know it's not much..." Monroe said as they broke apart, looking down at the floor.

"Are you kidding!? It's _perfect._"

"You think?" He looked up and met her loving gaze.

"I _know_." She replied before handing over her own gift.

"You didn't have to get me anything. My birthday was just a few weeks ago." He sighed as he took the gift into his hands.

" I know. But this gives me a wonderful excuse to give you something else!"

"I should've known." he said with a grin as he took the round, thin object into his hands. He too, came close to a gasp as he recognized the record.

"Hughes Nuages?" He smiled at her. "You're amazing."  
"We can listen to it together." She breathed before biting her bottom lip just the way he liked it before she leaned into his chest.

"It seems so long ago." Monroe mumbled to himself as he came out of his reverie and he couldn't help but smile as he brushed away the remaining tears from his face.

* * *

Rosalee sat inside, face in her hands as the tears streamed down her face.

"How could you be so stupid?" She asked herself as she stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

As she continued to find new ways of being angry at herself, she started to pace, something she unwillingly admitted she picked up from Monroe

Monroe had always been protective- that she knew.

"He did it because he _loves_ you." She thought as she stopped herself from wandering and made her way to the front door. She cautiously pulled it open, peeking her head out into the darkness.

It was a little difficult to make out his facial expression when he saw her, however she didn't stop herself from mouthing the words, "I'm sorry" as she walked down the stone steps.

Monroe pushed the car door open and stepped out, shutting it quietly behind him as he let the rain splash against his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Rosalee. I am so, so, _so_ sorry." He took a few steps toward her, almost afraid she would back away. However, she did not move away from him, but took a few steps forward and grabbed his hand, gesturing for them to go inside and get out of the rain.

"I'm the one that should be sorry."

Together, they walked back in their house and Monroe closed the front door before they made their way to the living room.

"I'm sorry I overreacted." Rosalee apologized earnestly as they sat down on the couch. She twisted his curls on her finger, not hesitating to kiss his cheek softly in addition.

"I'm the one who overreacted. I was being a jerk." he turned to face her, sorrow written across his face. He could barely keep up his gaze before his head drooped toward the ground. "I'm sorry I'm so overprotective. I got jealous and I took it too far."

"Hey." she said, lifting his chin with her finger, "we all make mistakes. I'm the one who suggested you leave. And you know what makes it all _so_ much worse?" She asked, finally getting him to meet her eyes.

"What's that?"

She paused for a moment, letting out a saddened sigh. "I let you go."

"Rosal-" He started, but she cut him off before he could say much else.

"And I never want to let you go again. Ever." She emphasized the last word, letting it hang off of her tongue.

He smiled softly as he pulled her into his body and she straddled on his lap. "That's good because I'm never gonna leave._ Ever_."

She smiled as she rested her head into his chest, smelling his sweater before she planted a chaste kiss just below his ear. Monroe hummed softly as she kissed his neck again and again.

He tilted his head down to her level and pressed his lips to the tip of her ear. "I love you." he murmured softly and her face broke out into a wide smile.

She breathed deeply, feeling a shiver go up her spine with delight as he trailed small kisses down to the crook of her neck.

"I love you too." She said in reply with complete and utter serenity before Monroe stood up and brought her with him.

She gladly wrapped her legs around his waist, his strong hands supporting her thighs.

He kissed her deeply and she gladly obliged as he carried her up the stairs to their bedroom- all the lights still on.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you liked it! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, the Christmas memory in specific. I actually enjoyed the idea of writing Monroe going a little too far to prove a point, and Rosalee overreacting. I've got some gooooood stuff coming up for you guys! **

**R&R Please! :)**


	5. Just Enough

**Author's Note: Hello Everyone! I'm please to say that I am back with chapter five! This one was quite fun to write! And I enjoyed writing the interaction between Monroe's niece, Emma and Rosalee. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: Oh, you know the gist.**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

Rosalee awoke early that morning- well, late for her however, early enough for her to prepare everything for when Monroe's family arrived. She puttered around the kitchen after pulling on a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, making _sure_ she had all the ingredients to make her famous macaroni salad that Monroe loved oh-so-much. With that done and out of the way, she made her way up the stairs to wake up a certain Blutbad.

"Monroe? Hon? Wake up." Rosalee shook him lightly as she leaned over their bed. She pressed a kiss to his forehead as he stretched.

"Morning." He mumbled through a yawn.

"It's Sunday."

His eyes blinked open and he immediately jumped out of bed.

"Shit, shit, shit!" He looked at one of the many clocks on the wall, eyes enlarging as he realized the time. "It's nine thirty!"

Rosalee chuckled and shook her head. "They're not gonna be here until eleven, Monroe. We have lots of time."

"They're_ always_ early." He called as he ran to their closet and pulled open all the drawers, tossing a pair new pants and a nice shirt on the bed.

"Really? _Always_? " She picked up the clothes and folded them nicely as he emerged from the closet in nothing but boxers and mismatched socks.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow before he scanned himself over.

"Ugh!" He shook his hands in frustration before he re-entered the closet and got the right socks.

"Better?" He asked as he came back out.

"Much. Monroe, the food's all ready to go. I made my famous macaroni salad too! Come on, you love that stuff."

"You're right, I do. What about the hamburgers?" He asked even though he already knew she had the answer.

"In the fridge. Along with a few vegan ones for you." She nodded once more.

He pulled on his pants and shirt, not hesitating to allow her to come over and fix the collar.

"Everything's gonna be fine." She reassured him, grabbing him gently by the shoulders.

"You're right. I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"They're your family. You're bound to be nervous. Hell, I'm pretty nervous too."

"You have no need to be nervous. They're going to love you. But not nearly as much as _I_ do."

She smiled up at him before pressing her lips to his, the kiss lingering for a moment before she fell back on her heels.  
"I suppose it would be smart to give Nick a call. Tell him to stay away from this end of town until your family's gone." She said and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, handing it to him.

"Mhm." Monroe took the phone and dialed Nick's number, not surprised to receive the familiar 'Burkhardt' when Nick picked up the phone.

"Hey, Monroe. What's up?" The Grimm yawned as he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Hey Nick. Just thought I'd let you know that my family's coming in today. Rosalee and I think it would be smart for you to stay away from our house till they're gone- unless you want to get eaten by some rather angry Blutbaden, that is."

"Well noted." Nick replied. "I'm at work all day anyway."

"On a holiday? Dude. It's Easter, for God's sake. Literally."

"Yup. Crime never goes on holiday."

"Well noted." He smirked.

"I'll see you later, bud." Nick said before he hung up.

"All good!" Monroe called to Rosalee who came out of the closet wearing a beautiful blouse with a nice pair of jeans to match.

"You look beautiful." He grinned as he pulled her in for another kiss.

"Thank you mister charming." She winked at him. "You look rather handsome yourself."

"After over two years, you still manage to amaze me every day."

She didn't know what to say, but simply tightened her grip around his as she pressed her lips to his once more. It was only the knocking at the door that broke them apart.

"Oh my God they're here." He mumbled urgently. "Stay here for a sec." He left the kitchen and approached the front door.

He cautiously pulled it open, expecting a crowd of Blutbaden, only to reveal his mother standing on the porch alone.

"Mom!" He greeted her with a smile and a hug as he let her inside.

"Monroe, dear! How are you?"

"I'm fine, mom. Yourself?"

She smiled at him before she saw her over her son's shoulder. "You must be Rosalee."

Monroe spun around to see her standing there, a little shy as before she took a few steps forward.

"Well, mom. I'd like you to meet the love of my life, Rosalee. Rosalee, this is my mother Beatrice."

Rosalee cautiously extended a hand to shake. "It's an honor to meet you, Beatrice." She was surprised when Monroe's mother dodged the handshake and jumped straight for a hug.

"It's a pleasure to meet you! I've heard so many great things about you, Dear. A Fuchsbau!" She said eagerly. "I have to admit, I am a little surprised my son could snag one!" She winked at Monroe and Rosalee who both began to blush.

"She saved my life, Mom. There was no _way_ I was gonna let her go." He put his arm around Rosalee who leaned into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Mon-mon here has told me so many wonderful stories about you!" Beatrice gestured to her son, who's ears were flushing with a new shade of scarlet.

She lifted her head off of Monroe's shoulder and looked at him, eyebrow arched with a questioning look. "Mon-mon? That's adorable!"

"Oh just a nickname Henry and I gave him when he was just a pup." She smirked. "You know, I have plenty of baby Monroe stories that will get you giggling."

"Okay, enough of that, Mom!" He said frantically. "Looks like the others are here."

Sure enough, four more cars managed to fit their way into the tiny driveway, and a slew of children filed out of the back seats.

Soon enough, the house was full of Blutbaden and Rosalee couldn't help but think of how big of a family it was.

"Rose, I'd like you to meet my brother, Andrew, his wife Bonnie and their two kids, Emma and Gavin." Monroe gestured to the family that stood in front of them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Bonnie extended a hand (the one that wasn't supporting a baby), for Rosalee to shake.

"Monroe's told me just how wonderful you are." Andrew pulled her into a hug before he whispered in her ear, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to him."

"I'm Emma." A little girl with long dark hair that matched that of her mother's, stepped forward and introduced herself.

Rosalee assumed she was no older than five years old. "It's an honor to meet you Emma. My name is Rosalee." She answered with a smile as she bent down to her height.

"Mom? Are Michael and Jane here?" Monroe asked as his mother came into the living room.

"Just walked in."

Rosalee stood up (after a proper greeting with the small brunette, of course) and walked over to Monroe. Together they went to the front door to greet Monroe's brother and sister.

"Mikey! Jane!" Monroe smiled at his other siblings who grimly smiled back.

"Will! Oliver! " Monroe gave a high-five to each of his nephews.

"Uncle Monroe!" A little blonde girl, no more than six years of age, tugged on his pants.

"And I could _never_ forget little Stella and Sophia!" He pulled his two nieces into his arms and lifted them up, one in each arm as they wrapped their little arms around his neck.

"We're not little!" Both argued in unison.

"Of course not."

Rosalee couldn't help but admire just how well Monroe was with children.

_Could come in handy someday._ She thought to herself with a small smile.

* * *

"Monroe, dear? Can I speak to you for a moment?" Beatrice spoke up as all eighteen relatives including Monroe and Rosalee, crammed into the living room after lunch.

He looked up from his spot next to Rosalee on the couch. "Sure mom. Rose, I'll be right back." He looked at Rosalee who nodded at him with a smile before starting up conversation with Emma, who happened to be quite smart for her age- not toe mention polite, something that she admired dearly.

"What's up?" He asked as they made their way to the deserted kitchen.

"You know, Monroe. Before your dad died, I promised him something." She had a saddened look on her face as she began.

"And what's that?"

"I promised him that I'd live to see you happy-with the love of your life." She glanced over his shoulder at Rosalee who was now lightly bouncing Gavin on her lap while she laughed at something Emma had said.

"Go on." Monroe said with a remaining smile from watching the Fuchsbau.

"And one way I can make sure that happens, is by giving you this." She had grasped his hand in hers and he could feel her slip something into his palm.

When he opened his hand, there it was. A beautiful diamond engagement ring- the one his father had given his mother. "Mom. I can't take this. This is your ring."

"_Was_. And I hope that it will soon become that of the lovely woman in the other room." Beatrice smiled at him.

"Mom. I appreciate the thought, but she just moved in a few months ago! Not to mention-"

"Please, Monroe. I see how much you love her. Just promise me that one day soon, that ring will be on her finger."

He sighed at his mother as he put the ring gently his pants pocket. "I promise mom."

She hugged her son tightly with a grin on her face as she watched Rosalee over his shoulder, laughing with the small brunette beside her.

"You know, Monroe," she started as they broke apart and he turned around to watch. "She's going to make a wonderful mother someday."

"Tell me about it." He agreed. "But for now, lets just stick to getting her to say yes." He tapped his pocket with his palm before both returned to the living room to join Rosalee.

* * *

"You're gonna be a good mommy." Emma whispered kindly into Rosalee's ear.

Rosalee turned to her, mouth opened in a smile. "I hope you're right." She replied and gently tapped

Emma's nose.

She turned to her right as she felt Monroe's arm wrap around her shoulder.

"I see you've taken quite a shine to these two, hey?" Monroe smirked as he gestured to both Emma and

Gavin.

"You know how I get with kids." She replied with a smile as she played with Gavin. "I think he's getting hungry, though."

Right on cue, Bonnie approached with a kind smile on her face.

"I think your little one's getting hungry!" Rosalee laughed as she stood up and handed the infant over to her.

"Thanks for looking after him." Bonnie laughed in return as she supported the baby in her arms, finding her spot next to her husband on the opposite couch.

Rosalee turned as she felt a short tug on her shirt. Emma looked up at her, her blue eyes suggesting question.

She crouched down to the little one's height as Emma approached and whispered into her ear once more.

"Can you come help me get a juice box? I can't reach the shelf yet."

She giggled a little and nodded as Emma snatched her hand and walked with her to the kitchen.

Rosalee had to admit, it was nice being in the quiet for a while, even if it was just in the kitchen.

She admired Emma, who's feet dangled from the chair as she slurped her Grape juice.

"A boy in my kindergarten class asked me to marry him today." Her little voice spoke up.

Rosalee couldn't help but laugh a little. "To marry him?! And what did you do?"

"I punched him in the face and got a time out."

Rosalee couldn't help but give her a high-five. Of course she wasn't suggesting that she do it again, however she knew the little girl would only do such a thing for a purpose.

"Are you and Uncle Monroe gonna get married?" She questioned, her blue eyes large like saucers.

Rosalee's eyes too, enlarged at the unexpected question. "I uh- I don't know Emma. Maybe, someday."

"I hope you do. You're gonna be a good aunty. And a good mommy." The little girl smiled at her.

Rosalee felt touched. She scooted her chair closer to Emma who looked at her kindly. "How do you know that, Emma?"

"I don't know. I just do."

And somehow for Rosalee, that was enough.

* * *

**A/N: Ah! I loved writing this chapter! Got some more good stuff coming up for you guys! Thanks for reading and please,**

**R&R! :D**


	6. Meanings

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! It took me a little longer to write this chapter than I initially thought it would, (plus I've been doing some planning for part three, which I think you'll all enjoy!) I hope you like this chapter; I've got another little memory in this one which I really loved to write (gives a little more Rosalee back story which I think is rather important, so you'll learn a little more about her in this one)**

**Thanks for sticking with it thus far!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Grimm, the actors or any of that jazz.**

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

Rosalee sat alone in the kitchen, waiting for Emma to return. She smiled when the five-year old bounced back into the kitchen, something tucked tightly in the crook of her elbow. She pulled out a stuffed animal- a teddy bear, who sported a tear in one of its ears and a missing button where's its eye once was.

"This is Teddy." Emma gestured to the stuffed teddy bear she had in hand.

"Nice to meet you, Teddy." Rosalee grasped the stuffed animal's paw and shook it.

"What's that, Teddy?" Emma pressed its mouth to her ear. "Mhm. Yeah. Me too."

"What did he say?"

She approached the Fuchsbau and cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered into her ear. "He says you're his favorite person here."

_I'm gonna miss this kid._

"Emma?" Bonnie's voice lingered from the living room and got louder as she came into the kitchen. "Ah. There you are. It's time to go, sweetheart."

"But mommy! I was showing Teddy to Aunty Rosie!"

Rosalee's mouth formed into a small smile at the remark, '_Rosie_.' It was the first time she'd heard the nickname and didn't cringe. And for once, she liked it.

"I'm sorry, Emma. But we have to go home now. You have ballet tonight. You know how much you love ballet."

Her shoulders dropped, her nose pointed at the ground in protest.

"I took ballet for six years." Rosalee spoke up.

"You did?" Emma turned around, eyes wide with interest.

Rosalee nodded. "But I quit. I wish I hadn't. I'm sure you're quite the dancer, Emma. I think you should keep practicing. Maybe one day, you can show just how good you are."

"Maybe." Emma whispered before she hopped off the chair and walked over to her mother.

Rosalee too, stood up from her seat and walked with the pair to the emptying living room.

Almost everyone had left, filing out of the house with their last goodbyes.

"It was a _pleasure_ meeting you, ah- Rosalee." Jane's tone dripped with complete and utter sarcasm and she of course, couldn't help herself but whisper to Monroe, "A Fuchsbau, Monroe! Couldn't do any better, could you?"

"Jane, OUT." Monroe pointed at the door, breathing heavily with anger. He turned to Rosalee and mouthed the words, 'I'm sorry' as Jane and her family fled out the door.

"It was great meeting you, Rosalee." Bonnie slipped a small piece of paper in her hand. "It has my number on it. Keep in touch." she smiled.

"Thanks for coming, Andrew." Monroe hugged his brother with a smile.

"Thanks for inviting us. Hold on to her, okay? Rosalee's great."

He nodded as the rest of his family walked down the front steps, he and Rosalee following close behind.

"Wait!" Emma turned on her heel and ran back to Rosalee, crashing into her and closing her eyes as Rosalee wrapped her arms around her in an embrace.

Emma handed her the stuffed teddy bear. "Here."

Rosalee crouched down, looking straight into her eyes. "Emma, this is yours. This is your Teddy."

"Keep it." she stood on her tiptoes for the second time, cupping her mouth with her hands. "That way, I know I'll see you again.

She sighed through a saddened smile. "Thank you, sweetpea." she took the bear into her hands and Emma ran back to the vehicle and climbed into the backseat.

It was sad for Rosalee to watch her go- her little hand waving at her from the back seat of the Escape as they drove down the street. But what she didn't know was it was definitely not the last time she'd be seeing little Emma Monroe.

She clutched the teddy bear into her chest. "I'm gonna miss her." she mumbled to Monroe who wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"To be honest," he came close to a whisper as he spoke into her ear, "She's always the one I end up missing the most."

"Okay, kids. I'm off." Beatrice came out of the house and approached the two of them.

"You sure, mom?"

She nodded. "I have a long drive ahead. Better get going." she hugged both of them before Monroe walked her to her car.

"Remember what I said." she looked up at him with a gentle smile.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Beatrice!" Rosalee called and waved kindly as she pulled out of the driveway. She didn't hesitate to honk the horn as she drove down the street and out of sight.

* * *

Dinner was good; veggie steaks were one of their favorite meals, and they enjoyed talking as they ate.

Neither of them knew how it came about- maybe it was because of Emma, who knows. But now here they were, sitting in the leaving room, talking about children.

Monroe always thought she'd be an excellent mother, but it was the first time they'd discussed it out loud before.

"Is there a... gender you'd prefer?" He always wanted a daughter, someone to teach, to show his clock collection.

"Well, either works but a girl would be nice." Rosalee said as she sat next to him on the couch. Now that she thought about it, she'd never really put it to much thought until Monroe came along.

Monroe nodded at her words. "What made you decide?"

"When we delivered the Gluhenvolk's daughter. From that moment, I knew."

"You'll be a wonderful mother."

_You'll be_. Not _you'd be_. _You'll be._

She smiled at him. "And the name? Anything in particular you like?"

"Alba. "

She liked the sound of it. _Alba_. She repeated in her head. But she does enjoy playing with him a little bit. "Oh really?" she settled closer to him, resting her chin on her knuckles and elbow on his knee as the smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"It was the name of the woman who sold my great-grandfather the best clock in my collection: The Gustav Becker- the clock he passed on to me."

_The best clock in his collection._ The clock that now resided on a wall in the spice shop. She sat up straighter and looked into his eyes, smiling. "You- you gave me..." she stuttered a little with her words, unable to form more than the odd mumble. "Why did you-"

"Because I love you."

"Even then?"

He nodded. "Always. Since day one."

Her eyes misted over slightly at his words as she grabbed his hand in hers. "I love you, too."

He grinned. "What about you, huh?" He reached a hand to the side of her face, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear before gently rubbing her temple with the pad of his thumb. "Can you do any better?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a breath of air as she pondered the question. "I've got a few."

It's vague and wry but he loved it all the same.

"Care to share?"

"Mm... You go first."

Monroe's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Why do I have to go again!? I just went!" He chuckled.

Rosalee sighed through a smile and it was a moment of pause before she answered. "Anna. It was my grandmother's name."

"Anna."Monroe repeated. "That's beautiful."

She was a bit surprised, but thankful all the while. She knew how argumentative the subject could be- It took her parents _ages_ to agree with her name.

"What's wrong with Penelope?" Elizabeth snapped at her husband, palms rested on the protruding bump on her stomach. "George! She's coming in less than a week!"

It was September, and the leaves were changing colors, the nights becoming cooler. Little Freddy, almost six now, had just started kindergarten and was more than excited about the baby sister he was going to have- except Mama and Papa wouldn't stop arguing about her. He thought a baby was supposed to be a happy thing!

The pair of Fuchsbau argued on throughout the week and lucky enough, their daughter-to-be was late. They'd disagreed on their fare share of names, the long list including: Abigail, Grace, Catherine, Victoria, Bree, Tabitha and now Penelope.

Freddy came home from school, running down the driveway from the bright yellow bus, his Captain America backpack bouncing on his back with each of his steps.

He waved at Papa as he passed the family car as fast as his little legs could take him and George couldn't help but laugh as he pulled out of the driveway and down the road, back in the direction of the spice shop to get some all natural remedies for Elizabeth, who'd been complaining about back pain all morning.

"Frederick?" Elizabeth called as he pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Shoes off please!"

He kicked off them off his feet and ran to the kitchen where his mother was making dinner.

"How was school today?"

"Good!" He nodded. "Miss Johnson says that she hopes baby girl comes soon." He pulled his lunchbox out of his backpack and placed it on the table like he did every day after school.

"Mama! I drew a picture for you!" He pulled out a piece of paper, quite proud of the drawing he'd made.

"Well, hon, how about you go upstairs and wash up for dinner. You can show Papa and I after supper."

An hour later, dinner finished, Freddy pulled the picture out and handed it to his mother and father who smiled down at the family portrait their son had drawn. "Mama, Papa, Freddy and- who's this?" She pointed at the drawing of a little brunette girl, obviously their daughter, who had the name 'Rosie' scribbled above her head.

"That's Rosalee. I like to call her Rosie though." He pointed at his mother's belly.

Elizabeth and George looked at one another, both grinning.

"Rosalee." She repeated, exchanging glances between the bump and her husband. "I like it."

"That's her name." George smiled. "And I_ never_ would've thought we'd be able to agree on one."

Three days later, September seventeenth, a beautiful, brown-eyed baby girl came into the world. And all thanks to Freddy,_ baby girl_, became _Rosalee_.

"...And that's how I got my name." She finished with a sad smile. "Freddy."

He wasn't sure what to say to that, but said exactly what he'd always thought. "It's a beautiful name." He paused for a moment, tucking another one of her stray hairs behind her ear. "And I know... I know our baby will have a name just as beautiful."

_Our_ baby.

She thought about that for a moment, and she couldn't help but love the sound of that. And it didn't matter if it was a girl or a boy. As long as they brought it into this world _together_, was all that was all that would ever matter.

_Together_

* * *

**A/N: There you have it! I thought it'd be kinda funny to put the name of the actress who plays Rosalee (Bree Turner) in the 'disagreement list'. So, lucky for Monroe, Nick remembered not to show up while his family was there, however, please not that this is definitely not the last of Beatrice. She will be back.. and sooner than you think. ****Same goes for little Emma Monroe! She too, will be back soon. ****Well, anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Not too sure when I'll have the next for you however, it should be up within the next week or so. Thanks for reading and please**

**R&R!**


	7. For the Sake of Being Kind

**Okay! Here we have it! Super busy this last week and a half! (Plus I was staring at all the comic con through my computer screen!) So now I'm happy to present chapter seven! You're gonna be meeting a two new characters which I am overjoyed to introduce! Plus some girly time for Juliette and Rosalee! (I figured it was about time I write some Rosalee/Juliette bff-ness! Haha so here you go!)**

**Sorry for the wait!**

**Disclaimer: The usual! **

**Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

Rosalee scribbled the last of her notes down on her notepad after just finishing up with a Mauzhertz who needed an all-natural stress reliever for her early wedding jitters.

Rosalee smirked as she ran her fingers over the cartoon fox that's etched into the cover; a gift given to her by no one other than Monroe. She sighed as she put the notepad down, flipping her wrist over and checking her watch, which only brought on another sigh. It was only four thirty. It was a long day and Juliette wouldn't be joining her for tea and some of Monroe's "famous" blueberry muffins for another half hour.

Just then, the bell over the door rattled and Rosalee looked up to see a boy, no older than thirteen with short dark hair and a pair of bright green eyes step inside.

"Uh... Hi" He greeted shyly as he looked around the shop.

"Hi." Rosalee smiled. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, well, it's not me that needs help, actually. It's my little sister." He glanced between the ground and the shopkeeper who mouthed the word "Oh".

"Just a sec." The boy turned around and pushed open the door once more, mumbling something outside.

"Come on, Fern. It's alright. Don't be scared."

This time, he wasn't alone when he came in. A little girl, maybe seven, if a day, was clutching his hand and sticking to his leg, hiding behind him.

"I'm Daron Dawson and this is my sister Fern. She's a little shy."

"My name is Rosalee." She tilted her head to the side giving a small smile and a kind wave to the little girl who twisted her waist length ebony curls around her finger.

The Fuchsbau came out from behind the counter and cautiously approached the pair of siblings.

"I'll do whatever I can to help." She crouched down to Fern's height and gave her most genuine smile. "But you're gonna have to tell me what's the matter before I can help." She smirked.

"Do you wanna tell her, or should I?" Daron whispered to his sister, who looked at him nervously and mumbled "You. Please."

"Okay."

Rosalee stood up and folded her arms to her chest, looking at the boy with a questioning expression.

"Well, Fern's been having a bit of trouble sleeping." He put one of his hands in the pocket of his tattered coat.

Now that Rosalee looked more carefully, both kid's clothes were tattered and Fern's jacket looked far too small for her.

"If you don't mind me asking," she started, leaning in closer to Daron, "but where are your parents?"

He shook it off quickly. "Don't worry about them. They dropped us off here with-" He fidgeted in his pocket, pulling out a few crumpled bills- two tens and a five. "-twenty five bucks, hoping it'd be enough to get her something to keep her sleeping at night."

She didn't buy it and it reflected in the expression she gave him, but she nodded anyway and turned to the shelf nearest her, searching through the many vials and bottles.

"Ah. Here we are." She pulled out the jar titled 'Valerian'. "This is an herbal extract. Just put it in some warm water and have her drink it. Should help." She handed the jar to him with an encouraging smile.

Rosalee had to admit, she was a little surprised when Fern got up on her tiptoes and grabbed the jar from her brother, examining its contents.

"You're sure it'll work?" Her tiny voice spoke.

The woman nodded and crouched once more. "I think so. And when you need more, just come right back here."

"Thank you, Rosalee." Daron said and extended the cash he had folded in his hand.

She pushed back the offer. "Keep it. "

He looked confused. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I _want_ to." She smiled. "It's been a pleasure to meet you Fern." She extended her hand and smiled even wider when Fern slipped her tiny palm in hers.

Fern grinned. "It's been a pleasure to meet you too."

"And you too, Daron."

He grasped his little sister's free hand in his, mouthing a simple '_Thank you' _before they turned to leave the shop, only to run into Juliette who was walking in.

"Oh! Sorry!"

"My bad." Daron said curtly before he and Fern left the shop without looking back.

Juliette looked over her shoulder as the pair left the shop. "What was that about?"

Rosalee's eyes, too, followed the siblings out of the shop, her eyebrow arched up in question. "I'm not really sure. There's something... more there."

"Well, time to put work out of your mind." Juliette smirked, spinning around once more and flipping the 'Open' sign to the opposite side.

"Right!" She remembered. "The tea, the muffins. Just give me a sec to get the kettle going. Take a seat." She gestured to the small table and set of two chairs in the corner of the shop.

Within a few minutes, the tea was ready and the pair sat together at the table, cautiously sipping the steaming hot liquid.

"So..." Rosalee began as she opened the tin of muffins in front of them. "How are things with you and Nick?"

"Good! Yeah! Things are good. Ever since the whole 'Sean' thing blew over, things have been a lot better between us."

Truth be told, they had their moments- just yesterday for example, when Nick got a little jealous about some guy who brought his dog into her office for a check up and asked her if he could get her number.

"Well, who knows? Maybe soon you'll have a little something on your finger to keep those vultures at bay." Rosalee winked before she plopped a mini muffin in her mouth.

"Ha ha." Her friend mused. "What about you? What's going on with you and Monroe?"

"I met his family yesterday."

"Ooh! That's a big step!"

Rosalee nodded. "And last night, we talked about baby names."

Juliette's eyes grew wide. "Wait. You're not...?"

"Oh god no!" She shook her head. "We were just talking about names we liked."

The vet's mouth formed a more relaxed 'ah' before she sipped her tea once more. "And that list includes..."

Rosalee smirked as she set the cup down once more. "Alba and Anna."

Juliette nodded. "And for boys?"

"We... didn't really get to that yet."

"What about you, though? Any names you like?" She asked, setting her cup next to Rosalee's.

Rosalee paused for a moment, thinking it over. "You know, being completely honest... I haven't really put it too much thought. But go on, give me your list."

Juliette grinned.

* * *

The hour passed by quickly.

"Well, this has been fun." Juliette smiled.

"Speaking of which," Rosalee looked down at her watch as she took the last sip of tea, "I'm supposed to meet Monroe at home in ten."

"And I'm supposed to meet Nick. It's pizza night for us."

"And it's Thai night for Monroe and I."

Both women stood up and brought their cups to the back before Rosalee locked up and they walked to their cars, parked next to each other.

"Hey, Juliette? Before you go can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course!"

"I need you to get Nick to look into something for me. Two names; Daron and Fern Dawson. Get him to call me when he can, alright?"

"Sure thing." Juliette nodded before getting into her car and pulling out of her spot, leaving Rosalee alone to her thoughts- back on the siblings from earlier.

_Why are you doing this? _The boy's voice repeated in her mind.

Why?

Simply for the sake of being kind.

* * *

**A/N: Ta-da! What do you think!? I'm so happy you all got to meet Daron and Fern! They'll be back within the next couple chapters. I haven't really decided how much though. Still trying to figure that out. But anywho, thank you all for being so patient! And as always please,**

**R&R! :D**


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